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PARIS:  Liverpool boss Arne Slot admitted his team had been extremely fortunate in their 1-0 win away to Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday as he heaped praise on goal-scoring hero Harvey Elliott.

“If we had a draw over here we would have already been the lucky one. That is clear for everyone,” Slot accepted after his side withstood a pummelling from the hosts in Paris.

PSG dominated the first leg of the heavyweight last-16 tie, but Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker was in inspired form and the visitors snatched an unlikely victory to take back to Anfield for the return as substitute Elliott scored in the 87th minute.

“They were the much better team today, especially in the first half,” Slot said of PSG, who had a Khvicha Kvaratskhelia goal disallowed for a tight offside in the 20th minute and had 28 attempts in total.

“They had three or four open chances in the first half, and it was almost a miracle that it was 0-0 then.

“But we were already in the game three, four or five times, I felt like we could hurt them in transitions, but we didn’t, but we waited until the last moment and then we hurt them.”

Elliott, 21, was sent on for Mohamed Salah late on after the Egyptian had failed to make any impact on proceedings. He then scored with his first touch after being set up by Darwin Nunez.

“It was a big moment for him. I can understand that he is sometimes frustrated about the playing time he gets,” Slot said of Elliott, who has nevertheless now scored in three straight Champions League games.

“He has to do it with limited playing time but he just keeps on going. I have to give him big compliments for that.

“It wasn’t only Harvey but also the one who assisted him, Darwin Nunez, who came from a difficult two games, but was absolutely there again tonight because from the moment he came on we were more of a threat than before.”

Before Elliott’s remarkable strike, Liverpool looked set to finish a game without scoring for just the fourth time all season after they were pushed back by their opponents all evening.

“We were not under-par, it was purely the quality of Paris Saint-Germain and the way they have played this whole season,” the Liverpool coach added.

“Luis Enrique made an incredible team here. It was an unbelievable challenge for us to get away with a result and we know it will be a hard one in a week.”

Slot’s opposite number admitted the result was a sore one to take as PSG’s run of 10 straight wins in all competitions was brought to a halt.

“We were far superior to Liverpool in terms of how we played, and chances created,” Luis Enrique said.

“Against the best team in their league and in Europe, we put in a complete performance, defended well, took risks, and clearly deserved another result, but that is football.

“It is often unfair and we just have to accept it.”

Asked if he still believed his team could reach the quarter-finals going into next Tuesday’s return leg, he added: “Without any doubt. We are a team with absolutely nothing to lose.

“Today we deserved much more. Their best player was the goalkeeper, which indicates how the game went.”

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands: Inter Milan’s powerful strike duo of Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez combined to give the Italians a handy 2-0 advantage over Dutch side Feyenoord after an absorbing Champions League last-16 first leg Wednesday.
Quality finishes either side of half-time from the French and Argentinian strikers proved the difference between the two teams, who meet again in Milan for Tuesday’s second leg, with the winner of the Bayern Munich-Bayer Leverkusen showdown lying in wait.
“Their quality is unbelievable,” admitted Feyenoord defender David Hancko.
“Second half you could see that they were controlling the game and it was more difficult for us to be dangerous,” added Hancko.
A lively opening quarter in Rotterdam’s ever-atmospheric De Kuip saw three-time European champions Inter enjoy most possession but Feyenoord carve out the clearest opportunities.
Ibrahim Osman, the pacy 20-year-old Ghana international winger on loan from Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, was the main threat for the hosts, twice forcing Josep Martinez into sharp saves.
For the visitors, Thuram found himself with a clear run at goal but decided to pass square rather than shoot and the danger was snuffed out.
It was a moment of quality from the French striker that broke the deadlock with just eight minutes until the half-time whistle, latching onto a curling cross from Nicolo Barella to hook it in with the outside of his boot at the far post.
The goal, slightly against the run of play, galvanized the Serie A side, who suddenly looked much more dangerous going forward.
Feyenoord legend and recently installed manager Robin van Persie would have been glad to get his side into the dressing room just 1-0 down after an entertaining first half.
But his side’s arrears doubled just five minutes into the second period, as Martinez drilled an unstoppable shot into the top corner, giving the hosts a mountain to climb.
Jakub Moder came close to getting Feyenoord back into the game when his lunging deflection skimmed the bar.
Inter had their own chance to put the game — and probably the tie — beyond reach when Jeyland Mitchell brought down Thuram in the box, the referee awarding a penalty after a long VAR check.
But Timon Wellenreuther in the Feyenoord goal produced an excellent save from Piotr Zielinski’s penalty, moving smartly to his right.
Feyenoord pressed to the end looking for something to take to the San Siro but the Inter defense held firm in a pleasing night for Simone Inzaghi’s men.
“Feyenoord came out well a few times, but I think we were solid in defense,” said Inter’s Dutch international Denzel Dumfries.
“We hit them well on the break and we made things difficult for them,” he added.